Saratoga National Historical Park offers program on Blacks in Dutch New York

Donald Hyman, American studies instructor at College of St. Rose, will present "Land of Blacks: African-Americans in New Amsterdam Feb. 24 as part of a program offered by the Saratoga National Historical Park. (Photo provided)

STILLWATER -- An upcoming Saratoga National Historical Park program will focus on the role of African-Americans in 17th- century colonial Dutch New York.

College of Saint Rose American studies instructor Donald Hyman will present "Land of Blacks: African-Americans in New Amsterdam" at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, at the park Visitors Center.

The program will include a cappella spiritual music by the group "One Accord" and a performance by inspirational gospel dancer Sister Lucille.

"Most people know all about famous New York landmarks such as the Empire State Building, Madison Square Garden, Greenwich Village, New York University and Washington Square Park," Hyman said. "But they aren't aware that the land that stretched from what is Canal Street to 34th Street in Manhattan was land that belonged to freed Africans and became known as 'The Land of the Blacks.' "

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As the Dutch colony of New Netherland, later an English colony and then a new state, New York was heavily involved in slaveholding. In the 1640s and 1650s, New York had more blacks than any other colony.

With the goal of establishing a successful fur-trading operation, the Dutch West India Co. provided some of the earliest settlers of New Netherland with company-owned land to farm and grow food. They reasoned that an agricultural base was necessary for the fur trade to flourish, but there were never enough settlers to do the work. As a solution, in 1626 the Dutch West India Co. brought 11 African men who had been pirated from Spanish slave ships to the colony. So began the institution of slavery in New Netherland.

In the early 1600s, the Dutch West India Corp. dominated the slave trade. From 1626 to 1964, the company supplied New Netherland with a steady stream of company-owned African slaves. These Africans were crucial not only to the development of agricultural life in the Hudson Valley, but also to the developing infrastructure of New Amsterdam, the forerunner of modern day New York City.

In the early days of New Netherland, slaves cleared forests and grew food. In New Amsterdam, slaves built a fort and the wall around it to protect the colony from native people and rival English colonies. They also built houses, public buildings, roads and the shipping docks.

By the end of Dutch rule, slavery had become intrinsic to the colonial economy. While many residents in New Amsterdam owned a household slave, others earned profit from businesses that imported and exported slaves or from products produced by slave labor such as sugar, tobacco, indigo, coffee and, later, cotton.

Hyman has been presenting this program for about five years, starting at Albany High School, where he previously taught social studies, for Black History Month.

He also has done programs at SUNY Albany and at the historic Ten Broeck Mansion in Albany.

In addition, Hyman has portrayed abolitionist leader Frederick Douglas and has many stage and television appearances to his credit, including a History Channel cable series "The Revolution."

He specializes in what he calls "living historical theatrical documentaries."

"As a history teacher," he said, "what better way to enlighten people than through theater about those individuals and events that made a difference? Most people don't associate African-Americans with early New York City, and this profound truth needs to be revealed. I am here to share the wealth."